Diatomaceous Earth Filters
Contents:
- Filtering "green water"
by "Merrill Cohen" <amc2/ix.netcom.com> (Sun, 15 Nov 1998)
- any opinion on "H.O.T. Magnum" filters?
by "Roger S. Miller" <rgrmill/rt66.com> (Sun, 15 Nov 1998)
- Vortex
by jettat19/idt.net (JJ) (Sun, 15 Nov 1998)
- Whisper Diatomagic
by "Mike G." <msg/laol.net> (Tue, 25 May 1999)
by "Merrill Cohen" <amc2/ix.netcom.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1998
Bob wrote:
>
> I went to the better LFS today looking for a diatom filter, like the
smaller
> Vortex, for polishing my water. I still have a little residual "green
water"
> algae, plus I'd like to be able to filter out suspended clay particles if
I
> make a mess with my tinkering. LFS didn't have any diatom filters, but
they
> said the HOT Magnum would do almost as good and was a whole lot easier to
use.
> I looked at one, and it had instruction for using diatomite powder with
the
> micron filter if you really wanted to.
>
> Is this filter adequate for water polishing (especially with just the
micron
> filter without the diatoms)? My current filter is a little too small for
my
> tank; a 100 gph "AquaTech 5-15" (kind of like a biowheel "mini" without
the
> wheel) in a 20H tank with too many fish and lots of plants and 2.2W/gal
4100K
> fluorescent lights. If I were to use the hot magnum in this size tank,
would
> it turn the tank into a maelstrom? Is it posible to set it up so it
doesn't
> disturb the surface water too much and lose all my CO2?
The HOT Magnum is not really a diatomaceous earth filter, even if you can
use some of this powder in one of its operations. The "Vortex" is an real
dialtomaceous earth filter and, still better, is the "System 1"
diatomaceous filter from Aquarium Products. The latter is very simple to
use and will polish a "green water" aquarium in four hours or less! If not
available from your LFS, most (if not all) of the mail order houses sell
this filter. In four hours, you won't have to worry about losing CO2 for
that time!
Merrill Cohen
by "Roger S. Miller" <rgrmill/rt66.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1998
On Sun, 15 Nov 1998, Zxcvbob wrote:
> Subject: any opinions on "H.O.T. Magnum" filters?
[snip]
>
> Is this filter adequate for water polishing (especially with just the micron
> filter without the diatoms)?
I use a 350 instead of the H.O.T., but I think they use the same pleated
filter media. I use it for polishing and it works very well for normal
use. Recently I had a green water outbreak in one tank and the filter
didn't remove the algae. The diatom powder let the filter catch a little
of the algae, but not enough to notice a difference in the tank water.
Perhaps it was an unusually small-celled species.
I added a flocculating agent (Hagen "P Clear") and the flocculated algae was
removed by the filter without the diatom treatment. The tank needed two
treatments to clear up completely.
Roger Miller
by jettat19/idt.net (JJ)
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1998
>The HOT Magnum is not really a diatomaceous earth filter, even if you can
>use some of this powder in one of its operations. The "Vortex" is an real
>dialtomaceous earth filter and, still better, is the "System 1"
>diatomaceous filter from Aquarium Products. The latter is very simple to
>use and will polish a "green water" aquarium in four hours or less! If not
>available from your LFS, most (if not all) of the mail order houses sell
>this filter. In four hours, you won't have to worry about losing CO2 for
>that time!
>
>Merrill Cohen
>
Although I have not personally used a System 1 filter, I can say that a
Vortex, properly primed, will clean any aquarium up to 75g in an hour, not
4hrs. It may take 4hrs to clear a larger tank such as a 125g or 150. This
is before even adding any of their special 'superchar' carbon, in which
case, the tank would clear even faster. Vortex filters will also last you
at least a decade. And, for $58 bucks for the smaller one from that fish
place, if you have green water, this is the filter to get. You can purchase
diatom powder from a local pool retailer store for about $7 for a 10lb bag.
The 'superchar' carbon you must purchase from the company, but the small
container they sell will last you easily 10 years.
gary plano jr.
----- Burligton Motor Carriers ------
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by "Mike G." <msg/laol.net>
Date: Tue, 25 May 1999
Hello-
I recently posed a question about the efficiency of the Whisper Diatomagic
in clearing up green water. I got no responses that suggested that I not
give it a try. I mail ordered it from That Fish Place and just received it
today. I must say without a doubt that it absolutely kicked butt! Now my
tank is only 26 gallons, but it cleared up before my eyes within 10 minutes.
Just wanted to pass the information on if anyone was in the market for a
quick and easy diatom filter for spot use.
Mike G.
The Krib
Plumbing and Filtration
The Krib